Lubricant reservoir and follower construction



Sept. 12, 1933.

1. B. NIELSEN 1,926,399

LUBRICANT RESERVOIR AND FOLLOWER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 18 1932 Patented Sept. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENr -I v 1,926,399 LUBRICANT RESERVOIR AND FOLLOWERL v H CONSTRUCTION Iver B/Nielsen, Bryan, Ohicjalssignor to The Arc Equipment Corporation, Bryan, Ohio, a-

. corporation of Ohio ApplicationJuly 1s, 193:2. Serial No. 523,195 9Claims. (01.221413) An object of my invention is to provide a lusuch return.

Still a further object is to provide a means of return which is'operated by air, the means being of the Venturi type.

Another object is to provide the Venturi means in a detachable handle and to provide a collapsible connection between the follower and the handie so that the'handle can be detached and used for returning the follower instead of using the Venturi means. a

5 With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of, thevariolls parts. of my device, whereby the objects contemplatedare attained, as hereinafterv more fully set forth,

On the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference character A to indicate generally a lubricant gun. The gun A has a reservoir 10 and a piston-like follower 12 therein. The reservoir itself is in the form of a cylinder.

The lubricant gun A includes a booster mechanism 14 and an operating handle 16 therefor and also a discharge fitting 18 which form no part of my present invention. T

On the rearward end of the reservoir cylinder 10, I- provide a head 20. A spring 22 is connected with a screw eye 24 in the head 20 and with a perforated ear 26 of the follower piston 12.

The normal tendency of the spring 22 is to compress whereby to constrain the piston 12 to remain adjacent the head 20.

which when opened will allow thespring tocause In the head 20, I provide an inlet check valve 28 and a suitable dust cap 30 therefor. The valve 28 is similarto a tire valve so'that a tire chuck can beengaged therewith for. introduce ing compressed air into the 'cylinderl0 behind the piston 12. This places the contents or" the reservoir ahead of the piston under pressure to feed it to the booster 14 or to directlyjdischarge it through the fitting 18 if desired, r i As shown in Figure 2, the head 20 is also provided with a relief valve 32. The valve 32 con1-.

prises a body with a seat 34 therein and a spring pressedvalve member ,36 normally against the seat and unseated only when excess pressure is introduced into the reservoir and overcomes the tension of a spring 38 behind the valve member.

A release valve has a pointed end .42 coacting with a seat 44. When it is desired to release the' pressure in the reservoirlfl and allow the spring 22 to retract the piston 12, this valve may be rotated to the open position. i

In operation, the discharge end of the grease gun A is placed 1 a Supply of lubricant and then the valve 40 opened which will allowthespring 22 to compress and draw in a new supply of lubricant. The valve 40 maythen be closed and the reservoir:10 filled with air through the f tting 28 until the release valve 32 opens. The tire chuck may then be removed from the fitting 28 and the cap 30 placed in position.

Instead of a spring return, I, have shown in Figure .3 a Venturi type of return. A handle 46 is screw threaded into the. head 20a (all parts in this figure similar to the parts of Figures 1 and 2 will be given the same reference numerals with the addition of the,character a). The handle 46 is provided with a tapered end 48 adapted to seat against a seat 50 for sealing the handle relative to the reservoir 10a,

Within the handle 46, I provide a release valve 52 having a pointed end 54 seated'against a seat 56. A Venturi nozzle 58 extends into a Venturi bore 600i the handle and is adjustable relative to the bore. It will be noted that'the nozzle 58 is screw threaded relative to the handle and its upper end is slotted at 62 so that it can he engaged by a screw driver and rotated. The upper end is covered by a sleeve-like cap 64 with packing 66 interposed between thecap and a shoulder of the nozzle 58. This cap is removed to eifect adjustment and is then tightened in position to tighten the packing 66.

A compressed air reception fitting 68 communicates with the upper end of the sleeve-like cap 64 andis capped as indicated at 70. The cap compressed air from the reservoir and the compressed air can be introduced through the nozzle 58 for drawing air from the passageway .72 through the bore 60 and discharging it past the release valve 52. This creates a vacuum in the reservoir 10a for retracting the piston 12a;

If desired, the piston 12a can be retracted manually. To do this, the handle 46 is disconnected from the head 20 by rotation since the parts are screw threaded together as. illustrated. The handle 46 may then be pulled outwardly relative to the reservoir 10a, whereupon a chain connectionlfi between the fitting 74' and a fitting 78 of the piston 12a, will be pulled to taut position and can thenbe further pulled for retracting the piston 12a manually.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spiritjand purpose of my invention, and it is my intention'to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which maybe reasonably included Within their scope.

I claim as my invention? 1. In a lubricant reservoir and follower construction,'a reservoir for lubricant, a piston-like follower therein, a head on said reservoir, means for introducing air under pressure through said head into said reservoir behind said follower, a handle detachable from and sealed relative to said head and a collapsible connection between said handle and said follower. i

2. In a lubricant reservoir andfollower construction, a reservoir for lubricant, a-piston-like follower therein, a head on said reservoir, means for introducing air under pressure through said head into said reservoir behind'said follower, a handle mounted on said head, a release valve in said handle and Venturi means in said handle for withdrawing'air from-the space in said reservoir behind said follower;

3. In a device of the class described, a reservoir, a follower therein, means'for introducing compressed air to said reservoir behind said'follower, means for releasing such air, ahandle on said reservoir and Venturi means in said handle for creating a vacuum in said reservoir behind said follower.

4. In a device of the class described, a reservoir, a follower therein, means for introducing compressed air to said reservoir behind said follower, means for releasing such air, ahandle on said reservoir, Venturi means in said handle for creating a vacuum in said reservoir behind said follower, said handle being detachable and sealed .relative to said reservoir and a collapsible connection between said handle and said follower.

5. In a device of the class described, a reservcir a follower therein, means for introducing compressed, air to said. reservoir behind said follower to cause movement thereof in a forward direction, means for releasing such air, a handle on said reservoir, Venturi means in said handle for creating a vacuum in said reservoir behind said follower, said handle being detachable relative to said reservoir and means for connecting said handle with said follower to pull the follower in a rearward direction.

6. In a device of the class described, a reservoir, a follower therein, means for introducing compressed air to said reservoir behind said follower, means for releasing such air, a handle on said reservoir and venturi means in said handle for creating a vacuum in said reservoir behind said follower, said Venturi means including an Inlet for compressed air and a cap for said inlet when said Venturi means is not in operation.

'7. In a device of the class described, a reservoir, a follower therein, means for introducing compressed air to said reservoir behind said followerfmeans for releasing such air, a handle on said reservoir, a release valve and Venturi means in said handle, said Venturi meansdischarging through said release valve when it is open to create a vacuum in said reservoirbehind said follower.

8. In a lubricant reservoir and follower construction, a reservoir for lubricant, a piston-like follower therein, a head on said reservoir, means for introducing air under pressure into said res- IVER B. NIELSEN. 

